Stump eliminator



Nov. 2l, 1950 k.1. A. PlLGRlM 2,530,399

' s'rUMP ELIMINATOR Filed June 24, 1949 a sheets-sheet 1 WW @M45 J. A.PILGRIM STUMP ELIMINATOR Nov. 2l, 1950 'vii-ed 'June 244, 1949 In Uetorv Attorneys Patented Nov. 21, 1950 UNI D iS TATES OF lFil CE STUMlELIMINATOR Joseph A. Pilgrim,-1Elberta, Ala. Application June`24, 1949,Seria1N0.`1101,138

(o1. siga) Claims.

This invention relates to novel and useful improvements inidevices andapparatus for clearing stumps from aeld or from an area whichhas:had'the .tops and the major part of the tree rem'oved.

An object of this invention is to cleave the roots -ofiazstumprfromthecenter section or part ofthe stump by means ofpassing a cutterdownwardly :over-.the center section ofthe stump so that the vstumpis'in substantially concentric relationship with the cutterfand shortlyafter the roots have :been cut'gstrikethetop part-of the centerlongitudinal section-'ofthe stump vso that it will urge thefcentervsection at least partially into the ground to drive it below the gradeline or surface,

of the terrain.

Another object of this invention is to drive a. stump into the ground bycutting the roots from the stump and striking the center section of thestump in a single cycle of operation of a mechanism which includes ahammer and a sleeve type cutter with the sharp edge at one end of thesleeve and the hammer disposed at the other end of the sleeve and withinthe bore thereof so that in order to perform the stump removingoperation, it is only necessary to forcibly press the sleeve around thecenter part of the stump, thereby cutting certain of the roots from thecenter section, and upon urging the sleeve downwardly further, thehammer engaging the top part of the center section drives it into theground.

Another object of this invention is to obviate, in the large part, thenecessity of blasting or removing stumps in other now conventionalmanners.

Ancillary objects and features of novelty will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art, in following the descrip-tion of the preferred formof the invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view showing the rst step in the operation ofthe stump clearing;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the device shown in Figure 1 showing itat the time that it has cut the roots from the stump and at the timethat the hammer has engaged the center section of the stump;

Figure 3 is a schematic view showing the device in elevation andillustrative of the final step in the operation, that is, after thestump has had its roots cleft therefrom and after the center section ofthe stump has been driven in the ground and after the device has beenremoved from the hole which was made in the ground during this process;

2 -Figurel isaplan View of the device shown in Figure l1; and

Figure 5 is'agbottom view of the-device shown in Figure l.

-It 2is :now conventional to remove very large stumps by blasting.:Smaller stumps can be removed by the lusefof. a bulldozer andappropriate attachments. In the absence of these methods `ofremoval'ofstumps, they'have tcbe taken from .-thefground by variousnon-'conventional stump pullers or1priedifrom the ground bytheassistance .of levers.. Tomyknowledge, it'is'basically new to clear afield by driving: thenstumpsinto the ground throu'ghthe utility of"special mechanism capable of cutting certain :of 'the kroots from the.stump and` .driving fthe@ center sectionof the stump, 'after the rootshave been cut, into the ground.

To perform this function, a sleeve-type cutting member I8 is used whichhas the exterior surface thereof tapered as at I2 so that the interiorsurface defining the bore I4 of the cutting member terminates in acutting edge I6.

A hammer which, in this instance, is in the shape of a rod or shank I8with an annular collar 20 thereon is supplied. This annular collar restson the top of the sleeve I0 and the portion of the shank I8 below thecollar 28 is disposed in a counterbore 22 of the bore I4. By havingrscrews 24 passed through suitable openings in the collar 20 andterminating in threaded apertures in the Sleeve Il) longitudinallythereof, the shank I8 is held fixed with respect to the cutting memberI0. The surface 26 which is disposed within the bore I4 of the member I9acts as a hammering surface or a hammer to operatively engage the toppart of the center section 28 of the stump.

In operation, the device is disposed above the center section 28 of astump, as disclosed in Figure 1. Then it is lowered so that the cuttingedge I6 cleaves the roots of the stump from the center section 28(Figure 2). By operating the device downwardly even further, the hammer2E engages the top longitudinal center part 28 of the stump,

thereby pushing it further into the ground. In fact, it pushes it so farinto the ground that it is below the grade line or surface of thesurrounding terrain (Figure 3). Thereafter, the device is simply liftedfrom the hole made in the ground by this operation, which hole may belled by any suitable operation.

There are many ways in which the device may be rendered operative. Forillustrative purposes only, the applicant has illustrated an eye 32which is disposed at the top part of the shank I8 with a cable 34therein. Under these conditions. the

device is made of suiicient weight so that by having it poised above thestump and allowing it to drop, the pull of gravity causes the actualcutting and hammering operations. In this mode of operation, it mayrequire two or more successive operations to completely drive the centersection 28 of the stump below grade. The device, on the other hand, maybe made as heavy as practically or reasonably possible.

If desired, an apparatus for imparting reciprocatory movement to theentire device so that a selected amount of force may be exerted on thestumps, may be used.

Also in operation of the device, a conventional air hammer may oeemployed. First, the rootsy which project laterally of the centersection of the stump may be cleft by gravity lowering the device. Then,the conventional air hammer may be attached to the device and used todrive the center section of the stump below the ground level to therebycomplete the root cutting operation.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A device for clearing stumps comprising a substantially cylindricalmember having a cutter at one end for cleaving roots of a tree stumpWhile it is in the ground and as the longitudinal part thereof passesinto the bore of the member, and a hammer disposed in the bore of thesleeve for striking the top of the longitudinal part of the stump toforce it into the ground in the same operation that the roots are cleft.

2. A device for clearing stumps comprising a substantially cylindricalmember having a cutter at one end for cleaving roots of a tree stumpwhile it is in the ground and as the longitudinal part thereof passesinto the bore of the member, a hammer disposed in the bore of the sleevefor striking the top of the longitudinal part oi the stump to force itinto the ground in the same operation that the roots are cleft, andmeans fixed to said hammer and said member for releasably securing saidhammer to said member.

3. A stump clearing device adapted to be reciprocated in the operationthereof comprising a cutting member having a cutting edge at one endthereof adapted to cut the roots from the center part of the stump whilethe roots are in the ground when said member is operated downwardly, anda hammer fixed to said member but spaced from the cutting edge so thatthe center section of the stump is struck by the hammer after some ofthe stump roots are cut in order to drive the center section of thestump into the ground.

4. In a stump clearing device, a cutting member for cutting the roots ofthe stump, and means secured to said member for driving the center partof the stump at least partially into the ground below the grade line.

5. In a stump clearing device, a cutting member for cutting the roots ofthe stump, and means secured to said member for driving the center partof the stump at least partially into the ground below the grade lineafter some of the stump roots are cut and during a single cycle ofoperation of the cutting member.

JOSEPH A. PILGRIM.

No references cited.

